Half-price GA passes = today's "Deal of the Day"

The first Best of Houston® BestFest is shaping up nicely. Today it gives Rocks Off great pleasure to announce four more local artists confirmed for the September 24-25 festival: Latin kings Los Skarnales, alt-rock face-breakers thelastplaceyoulook, Gulf Coast sound system Nick Gaitan & the Umbrella Man and the trio of "Honky Tonk Blood Brothers" John Evans, Hank Schyma, and "The Reverend" Craig Kinsey.

Los Skarnales should need no introduction, as the large Latin ensemble began mixing up punk, ska and cumbia in the mid-'90s, and has been one of Houston's most popular bands ever since. They reupped their spot on top of the heap with last year's LP (and first since 2004) Dále Shine!; alongside Buxton, Skarnales will have played BestFest, Free Press Summerfest and the Houston International Festival this year.

Joining Skarnales on Saturday is another one of Houston's most popular (and loudest) rock bands, thelastplaceyoulook. Also known as The Last Place You Look, the five-piece is putting the finishing touches on their new album Rip It Out, their first since 2009's See The Light Inside You. According to TLPYL's Facebook page, Ryan Delahoussaye of Blue October guests; catch a preview Friday at House of Blues.

Sunday, Nick Gaitan & the Umbrella Man will be along. Reigning Houston Press Music Awards Musician of the Year Gaitan and his crew have been at work on their second album of Tex-Mex swamp-pop honky-tonk R&B for a hot minute now. We think we covered everything in there, but you'll just have to show up to find out for sure.

Last but not least, we are especially happy we have talked the Honky Tonk Blood crew out of killing each other long enough for a good old-fashioned Sunday song swap. (We kid... we think.) Sadly, Johnny Falstaff is unable to make it, but considering this year's macabre, acerbic drama - now available on DVD - co-stars and cameos practically the entire local music scene, there's no telling who might join Messrs. Evans, Kinsey and Schyma onstage.

Here are the updated lineups:

Saturday: The Toadies, Chamillionaire, Bun B, Slim Thug, Against Me!, The Tontons, Los Skarnales, thelastplaceyoulook

Sunday: Cake, Deer Tick, Hayes Carll, Carolyn Wonderland, Buxton, Wild Moccasins, Little Joe Washington, Honky Tonk Blood Brothers, Nick Gaitan & the Umbrella Man

There may be room to shoehorn one or two more acts in there - honestly, we don't know - but this looks pretty good to us. In case you're wondering what you might be eating and drinking on the superblock, vendors included  Last Concert Café,Freebirds World Burrito, Russo's NY Pizzeria, The Blue Fish, Sushi King, Kahn's Deli, El Xuco Xicana (El XX), Beaver's Houston and Rudyard's British Pub.

Beverages brought to you by Dos Equis. Designate a driver - or better yet, take the MetroRail to the McGowen stop because parking around the superblock is going to be at a premium.

Tickets are on sale now at bestfesthouston.com. But wait...

Remember how we told you last week that prices for general admission and VIP weekend passes were going up? That's true; they did - except for today. BestFest GA prices are back down to the low, low, low price of $25 as our Village Voice Deal of the Day. The offer expires at midnight.